The Pursuit of Happy, Healthy Hair

It’s been a long time since I last blogged. I really need to stop life taking over and putting what I love on the back burner. But here I am again, and today I’m going through the hair products I discovered in 2018 and why I love them so much.

I’ve been hearing a lot of chatter about the Curly Girl Method, and, when you combine that with a sister who can only really use organic skin and hair care products due to allergies, I’ve started taking my own beauty regime a bit more seriously. I’m more cautious about the products I use, ditching the cones and sulphates as much as possible. Whilst I’m not exactly dedicated to the CGM, I have used advice about the process to help me find products that are kinder to my scalp and hair.

Where to begin? I absolutely love this new gem, recommended by a UK advocate of the Curly Girl Method. I used to use the leave-in conditioner by Mixed Chicks, but that made my hair feel…sticky I guess is the word I’m looking for. Boucleme’s leave-in conditioner smells great, sinks nicely into my waves and, makes my dry hair feel a lot more nourished. It’s not the cheapest brand on the market, unfortunately, but my hair loves it so not about to complain. I use it after washing my hair, and on the second day too. You can buy Boucleme at SpaceNK and Fabled in the UK. £19

I love this as an overnight treatment. As a solid, it needs to be warmed up between your palms, but this takes seconds. In the hot summer we’ve had for few months (yeah baby!) this coconut-based hair treatment is the perfect liquid, so be careful when opening up the jar. Because my hair is thick, I section into about eight pieces, applying the oil to each area before twisting and leaving in overnight. Next day, I simply wash it out. £6.50

In between washes, I like to spritz my hair with something other than water. Whilst I don’t exactly have curly hair, I don’t brush it daily as it just becomes bushy. So, if I’m not careful, I will end up with a dry, matted mess. This coconut oil can be a bit too oily if I’m being honest. The trick is, not to be heavy handed. I use it to separate the strands and curl them around my fingers.

I actually picked this product up accidentally thinking that it was a hair mask. The Shea Moisture products are not necessarily high on my list. The shampoos for instance I find have a horrific drying effect on my mane. That said, I do quite like this leave in conditioner. I usually put it on after applying the Boucleme leave-in conditioner. I quite like the scent of what I assume is the castor oil among others, as shea butter in its natural form has an excessively rancid scent. How do I know? I grew up in West Africa where shea butter comes from, and my olfactory senses do not pick up a trace of its unique scent. Boots stock and sell an entire range of Shea Moisture. But, if you want to pick up the brand for cheaper, try your nearest TKMaxx store – it’s about half the price there. (PS: I’m not sure that this particular product is Curly Girl approved, but apparently some Shea Moisture products are)